Electric switch.



F. P. GATES.

ELECTRIC SWITCH.

wmcanow FILED AUG.25. \915.

Patented J 11116 11, 1918 UNITED STATES PNIENT OFFICE.

FREDEEIC P. GATES, 0F HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO THE ARROWELECTRIC COMPANY, OF HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT,

A CORPORATION OF CONNECTICUT.

ELECTRIC SXVITCH.

Application filed August 25, 1915.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Fnnosmo P. Germs, a citizen of the United States ofAmerica, and residing at Hartford, in the county of Hart ford and Stateof Connecticut, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement inElectric Switches, of which the following is a specification.

Myinventioirrelates to electric switches and articularly tomulti-circuit switches, the oiiject of my invention being to provide onimproved switch mechanism of this type which may be convenientlyemployed for example to control independently the several lights of anelectrolicr group, although obviously the switch may be used for anypurpose for which it is adapted.

In the accompanying drawings,

Figure 1 is a longitudinal section through a switch in which myinvention is embodied in one form;

Fig. 2 is a section on the line 2-2, Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a section on the line 3-3, Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a detached perspective of certain of the switch parts;

Fig. 5 is a partial section on the line 55, Fig. 2; and

Figs. 6 and 7 are perspectives of details.

In multi-circuit installations such as lighting circuits comprisingseveral lamp groups. various switch devices have been employed tocontrol the groups independently from a single switch mechanism. Perhapsthe most common switch for this purpose is a. rotary snap switch havinga plurality of contact plates with wings variously arranged to (on nectthe terminals of the lighting groupin predetermined relation. Such a.switch however necessitates the successive connection of the severalgroups both in attaining the lighting group which it is desired to useand in the eventual breaking of the circuit hen it is desired toextinguish the ligh. In certain cases two push button switches have beenemployed in which one rotary switch plate, operated by a ratchetmechanism, is employed to malre the successive connections, whileanother switch plate of oscillating motion is employed to interrupt ormake the connection through the switch, as a whole. This mechanism isclu-msy a inconvenient since it is not only necessary to operate theswitch in such mannet as to make the successive connections through theseveral groups in order to attain the desired lighting group, but italso in Specification cl Letters Patent.

Patented June 11, 1918.

Serial No. 7,353.

volvcs cutting out the li hting circuit through the oscillating switcIibar, on each change in the lighting group. In still other switches, aplurality of push buttons are employed to effect the connections for theseveral combinations, while a single button serves to open the circuit(see Mann 876.907). But as in the switches previously mentioned, thecircuit must he completed successively through the several combinationsin order to obtain the last one, although in this construction, (as inthe rotary snap switch) there is no interruption of the lighting circuitbetween each change save such as is inherent in the shifting of thecontact blades from one position to an other. A switch of thischaracter, however. is expensive to construct, unsightly in ap pearanceand unsatisfactory to operate, since, in a dark position, it isditficult to see which of the several buttons should. be pushed first,as the mechanism requires for its operation.

By the present invention, I have provided a combination switch having aswitch blade controlling the connection of the Switch as a whole withthe main, and inde endent means for controlling the several ightingbutton switch and adapted to be mounted in an outlet box by means of ayoke 11 secured to the up er face of theswitch body by the screw bo ts12 piercing the opposite ends of the latter. Depressed ledges 13 atopposite ends of the insuletin body support the several wire termina s14;, 15. -16 and 17; -The 'swiph is of the single pole type and but oneain is connected thereto, vie, at 14.

.Theinterior of the switch body .is divided, by an integral partition18, mtotwo switch chambers 19 and 20, the former containing the switch:by means of which conhcction from the main is established to the secondchamber 20, in which is arranged the switch which controls the variouslig iting circuit combinations. The line switch here shown comprises 21switch bar 21 udeptcd in the on position of the switch to sun the spacebetween the downwardly angled lug 22 integral with the base plate of thebinding screw 1+1 end the coopcreb ing switch terminal 23 which, in theform of an angled strap, leads from the switch chamber 19 to the switchchamber wherein it presents two terminals 24; and 25 at difl'erentlevels, for cooperation with the lighting circuit switch therein.

The line switch mechanism in the chamber 19 may be of an suitable type.I have here shown it as o. the push button type described in thePeterson Patent 956,161, without the return spring (15) however. Itembodies a switch arm 26 carrying the Ushaped switch bar 21 at one endand pivoted on the spindle 27 at its other end. The spindle 27 ismounted in a frame 28 secured to the base of the insulating body 10 bythe screws 29 andhm ing offset stops 30 which limit the extent ofoscillation of the switch arm 26. A rocker bar 31 is pivotally connectedto the shank 32 of the push button 33 and is journaled on the spindle27. At its free end the rocker bar 31 carries a perforated abutment 34against which bears oneend of the switch spring 35 and through whichpasses the guide'pin 36 for the spring. The opposite end of the pin hasa T-head 37 which engages in a slot 38 in the shank of the switch arm26. On the depression of the ush button, the rocker 31 forces one on ofthe switclr spring 35 past the axis of oscillation 27 of t e switch arm26 and at the same time compresses the spring 35, with the result thatas soon as the axial point is passed, the spring expands and thrusts theswitch arm 26 upward, thus establishing the circuit between the switchterminals 22 and '23.

The switch in chamber 19 being thus closed, the current is now ledthrough terminal 23 to the terminals 24 and 25 in switch chamber 20. Inaddition to these terminals 24 and 25, in switch chamber 20, there arein the present construction three other switch terminals in this chamberviz., 39, 40 and 41. The terminals 39 and 40 are on the. some level withthe lower terminal 25, connected with 23, while the terminul 41 is onthe level of the u iper terminal 24. connected with terminal 2d. Theterminal 39 is here formed as the offset lower end of the strap 42, theupper end of which forms the terminal plate for the binding screw 15.The switch terminal 40 in like manner forms the angled lower end of thestrrtp 43, the upper end of which forms the base plnte for the wireterminal 16. The switch terminal 1 connected by screw 44 (Fig. 7) with astrap 45 let into the lower are of the insulnting body 10 and con ncctedby It screw bolt 46 to the terminal plate of the bindin r screw 17.

1n n. manner well understood in the art, three independent lightingcircuits are sevcrall connected to the three wire terminals 15, 1t) and17. Thus in an electrolier hnrin seven lights, one light may be broug itinto the circuit by the wire connected nt 15, three may be connected bythe wire leedin to the terminal 16, and the remaining tiree may beconnected by the wire leadln to the terminal 17. Any other desired cominntion may of course be connected up to the terminals 15, 16 and 17 andin feet another wire terminal ma if desired, be connected to theterminals 24-25.

Cooperatin with the several terminals of the switch c amber 20 is arotary snap switch mechanism comprising a pair of switch plates 47 and48 of any desired predetermined number of contact wings, mount-- ed on acommon switch spindle and operated by a snap switch mechanism, notshown, since it is of common type. The switch plates are electricallyconnected together, although spaced vertically apart. The upper plate 47as here shown has but a, single contact wing 49, and is arranged at thelevel of the switch terminals 24 and 41: The lower switch plate 48 isrovided with three contact wings 50, 51 an 52 and is arranged at thelevel of the terminals 25, 39 and 40. The connection between terminals25 and 39, which may be called combination A, is secured through switchwings and 51; 51 being in contact with the lower terminal 25, while 50is in contact with the terminal 39. The terminal 52 at this moment willunderlie the raised terminal 41, while the raised switch her terminal 49will overlie the switch terminal 40. The connection between terminals 25and 40 (combination B) is secured, in the next position of the switch,by the terminals 50 end 52 which span the space between the terminals 25and 40, whileithe switch wing 51 underlies the terminal" 41, and thewing 49 overlies the terminal 39. This is the 'osition illustrated inthe draw ing. The t ird combination (A and B together) is establishedthrough the switch wing 49 which now en ages the upper terminal 24,while the swite wings'51and 52 en gage the terminals 39 and 40, whilethe switch wing 50 underlies terminal 41. The fourth combination (A, Band C together) is secured in the succeeding position of the switch, inwhich the switch win 49 now contacts with the terminal 41, w iile wing52 engages the lower terminal 25 and the wings 50'and 51 engage theterminals 39 and 40, thus bringing into circuit all three lightingconnections.

As previously stated, the switch plates 47 and 48 are mounted upon acommon spindle and operated by a snap switch mechanism of ordinary type.The switch spindle 53 and its button 54 however, are of novel con-,struction. The spindle 53 embodies an upwardl y extended shank ofnon-circular cross -section and on which is slidably engaged the switchbutton 54, which has a. well'of suitable depth opening to its lower faceto receive the upper end of the spindle. A fer- '1 rule rigid with thelower end of the butten 34 has a non-circular aperture through which thespindle passes, and is also provided with an external annulus 56 inwhich engage the inwardly extending pins 57 at "one end of the rockerbar 58. The latter is pivoted on the pin 59 extending between thedownwardly angled lugs 60 of the yoke 11 and engages at its opposite endthe cross pin 61 of the shank 32 of the push button It is obvious thatthrough this arrangement the depression of the switch button 54 servesto shift the rocking lever 58 and thus to lift the button 33 and throwthe live "switch 21 into of? position, breaking conuection to theterminals 24'25 of the light? idg switch. In either out or in positionof the switch button 54, however, the engagement of the latter with thespindle 53 is maintained and the button 54 may be To tated to bring theswitch plates 47 and 48 to the desired position, since the engagement 1of thepins 57, with the annulus 56 in the ferrule 55, permits the button54 to swivel with relation to the rocker bar 58 at any time and whateverits position.

Thus the desired combination for the lighting circuit may be establishedby the rotation of the switch button 54 while the latter is in its inposition and the lighting circuit thereafter completed by pushing in thebutton 33 and thus throwing the switch bar 21 into on position.

Obviously the circuit may be broken, irrespective of the position of theswitch plates 47 and 48 by merely pushing the button 54 in, thisthrowing the rocker bar 58 in a direction to open the circuit at 21.

The switch button 54'thus acts in a dual capacity as one membcr of atwo-button push switch and as the rotary operating key for a snapswitch. In order to facilitate its use as a snap-switch key,'the outerend of the button 54 is preferably made non-circular, while the lowerportiom. which passes through the usual hole in the cover plate (notshown) is maintained in its usual cylindrical form tofill the face plateaperture and thus to prevent the entry of dust or dint ,into the switchchamber.

Furthermore, to assist in determining the position, of the switch plates47 and 48 for the desired lighting con'lbination while the main switch21 is still oil, I prefer to provide some suitable indicating device toShow the position of the switch plates. This may be accomplished invarious ways, a-simple one being by means of indicia or numerals on theend of the push button, as indicated at 62,.

It is obvious that the switch may be used to control othermulti-circuits than lighting circuits without departing from myinvention and also that various modifications and details may be madewithout departing from what I claim as my invention. 1

I claim asmy invention: Y

1. An electric switch device, comprising a switch mechanism, a pair ofpush buttons for operating the same, one of said buttons beingsusceptible of rotation, an independent switch mechanism and an oerative connection between the latter an -said rotary push button. i

2. An electric 'switch device, Switch mechanism, for operating the same,one oflsaid buttons being susceptible of rotation, ent switch mechanismand an operative connection between the latter and said rotary pushbutton, said connection being operative ineither out or in position. ofthe said push button.

3. An electric switch device comprising a switch mechanism, a pair ofpush buttons for operating the same, an independent switch mechanismhaving a rotary operating spindle, an operative connection between oneof said push buttons and said operating spindle, said push button beingcapable of rotation to actuate said spindle.

4. An electric switch device comprising an insulating body recessed toform independent switch chambers, a carrying yoke spanning saidchambers, independent switches mounted in said chambers, and anoscillating rocker-carried by said yoke, together with mean forindependently operating both switches nd engaging said rocker.

5. An electric switch devicepcomprising an oscillating push buttonswitch, and a comprising a a pair of push buttons an independrotary snapswitch, a pairof piish buttons for operating the former and an operativeconnection between one of said buttons and the rota snap switch, saidbutton being susceptib e of rotation to actuate the latter.

6. An electric switch device comprising a push button switch, a rocklever and a. pair of push buttons for operating the same, a swivelingengagement between one of said buttons and the rock lever, incombination" operating means for both switch mechanisms, said operatingmeans serving to actuate either switch without affecting the other, andirrespective of the position of the other.-

8. An electric switch device comprising an insulating base, a air ofsnap switches arranged in series t ereon, one of said switchescomprising a push button mechanism, and the other a rotary snap switchmechanism, together with a common operating means for both switches,said operating teriqr divided by an integral means serving to actuateeither switch'withput affectingthe other, and irrespective of itsposition.

. 9. An electric switch device comprising a cup sha ed insulating-base,having its martition into a pair of switch chambers, a ine wire termmalextending into one of said chambers, .21 series of branch wire terminalsarranged in the other switch chamber, a common terminal forbothvchambers, an oscillating switch servin 1n connect the line wireterminal with t common terminal, a rotary switch serving to connect saidcommenterminal with several branch terminals, and means for operatingsaid oscillatin and rotar switch mechanisms indepen ently of see other.

10. An electric switch device com rising an insulating base, a pair ofsingle-p0 e-snap switches mounted thereon in series, a line connectionto one of said switches, a plurality of branch circuits connected to theother switch and means common to said switches for operating the sameindependently of one another.

11. An electric switch device com rising a switch mechanism, a pair ofpush uttons for operating the same, a second independent switchmechanism and an operative connection between one-of said push buttonsand the second switch m gfor operating the latter.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification, in thevpresence of two subscribm witnesses.

F DERIC P. GATES. Witnesses:

Bmw. Pmms, Enrrn Promo.

